Government has allocated GH¢537 million to the No Fees Stress Policy in the 2027 Budget to support first-year tertiary students and reduce the financial barriers associated with accessing higher education.
The allocation is intended to sustain the government’s intervention, which covers academic fees for first-year students admitted to public tertiary institutions.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced the funding while presenting the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Thursday, November 12.
The GH¢537 million provision forms part of the GH¢48 billion allocated to the Ministry of Education to support teaching, learning and access to education.
Outlining the Ministry’s spending priorities, Dr Forson said, “GH¢537 million to the No Fees Stress Policy for first-year students so that the cost of entry does not close the door to opportunity;”
The No Fees Stress Policy was launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025 as part of efforts to expand access to tertiary education and prevent financial difficulties from denying qualified students the opportunity to pursue higher education.
Under its No Academic Fees component, government covers academic-related fees for first-year students in public universities, technical universities, colleges of education and nursing training institutions.
The initiative was introduced against the background of students securing admission but struggling to pay the initial academic fees required to enrol.
At the launch, President Mahama said thousands of students had previously been unable to take up admission offers because their families could not afford the required fees.
The Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF), which oversees the implementation of the policy, reported in August 2026 that 152,698 first-year students admitted in the 2024/2025 academic year had been validated and reimbursed for their academic fees.
The policy forms part of a broader No Fees Stress initiative that also includes financial support schemes such as Student Loan Plus, traditional student loans and free tertiary education for persons with disabilities.
The government has also allocated GH¢250 million to the Scholarship Secretariat to support its scholarship responsibilities.
Other education interventions in the 2027 Budget include GH¢292 million for the distribution of free sanitary pads to support girls’ participation in education, GH¢227 million for teacher trainee allowances and GH¢169 million for Basic Education Certificate Examination fees.
The allocations form part of the government’s broader GH¢48 billion provision for the Ministry of Education.
